Ben

Is anyone still watching Neighbours? I think it improved a lot late last year. Steph's story was awesome, and played brilliantly by Carla Bonner. Paul gaslighting her the way he did has to be the worst thing he's ever done. It was such an unnecessary act of cruelty and horror. So glad he lost everything in the finale. Having Shay revealed as a plant all along was such a good twist, and a good use of recent history.

That's a blow to the show. From what little I recently saw, the show had improved a little. Marilyn's amnesia story was quite engaging, even if there was missed opportunities in not bringing back past characters for the story, and Charlotte's story seemed interesting, and reminded me of Josie Russell's intro back when Dan Bennett was in charge.

Totally echo everything you said. But... BIB: ED likes to avoid that kind of thing these days. I think that's why a lot of HF families fail, b/c they are never allowed to be the rich, scandalous characters they need to be. The Whites are better than the Maceys in that respect, but no where near the level of rich and scandalous as they should be. By scandalous, I mean the inter-family skeletons kind. So, I don't have faith that Sadie would be written like she should be.

I haven't been following the show as much lately. I watched for the Shabnam/Kush story, which was brilliantly acted, but I just couldn't stomach the thought of sitting through Carter-centric episodes. So, it turns out Babe is part of a baby black market, and Mick calls Shirley 'Mum', and Babe is offered a place to stay. What did people make of all that? Was it the right time for Mick to forgive Shirley? Babe's secret sounds random, and why did they invite her stay after learning such a thing? All sounds like typical Carter theatrics. I wish they would get rid of Babe.

Omigod! Nikhil is returning! So happy about this. He was always the best Sharma family member - and the hottest. I bet it's not permanent, so I hope for a reasonably long guest stint. I don't want it to be for one or two episodes like with Paul. Back to the show: Really hated that Robert was behind the set-up. 1. It was predictable to the point a blind person could see it coming; 2. It would have been so much better to have Robert acting out of compassion instead of selfishness and ruthlessness. The character needed to be seen doing something decent, like helping Lawrence, not b/c it would benefit himself, but b/c it was the right thing to do. Robert could have earned Lawrence's gratitude the honest way, instead of standing on yet more deception that when revealed will have him kicked to the curb, again. Boring. ED really needs to start remembering the characters again, instead of being tempted by the lure of sensational plotting.

Carl, I think you're right about Vincent/Ronnie. Sadly, I think Vincent's whole character was better conceived on paper than he is on screen. Same with Claudette, who feels like she was cast before she was fully conceived. I just find Vincent so dull. I've mentioned the Alice band before. It's super annoying. It's such a 90s thing. The writing for Paul and Les could be so much better. It's just so hollow. The whole story is a drag (no pun intended!). I'm with Bright Eyes: the more they talk about his secret, the more I'm literally speculating that Les is either a crossdresser, or is the proposed transgender character who has yet to transition. I really hope it isn't the latter; that would be such a stereotype, and it really wouldn't do the story justice at all. I think Les is one of the worst characters to ever grace the show, especially in the acting department. The majority of DTC's new characters have been disappointments. Aleks was the best, and he got rid of him for no good reason.

A rare episode from 1998, when Marilyn, Irene, Selina and Steven filmed in England for the first time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLLHPmGYpfk

I noticed the other day that Sam Womack's acting has become lazy; she sounds kinda bored these days. But, the dialogue for Ronnie/Roxy is quite lazy, too. TBF: Americans also uptalk, too. And apparently, it began as part of Valley speak. We've got more of the Ronnie/Vincent/Kim merry-go-round to look forward to, and it appears to be pretty much the same as what we've already seen so far: Vincent being torn between two women. Richard Blackwood hopes the viewers will be invested in that. I don't think so, dude. Don't mention the Carters, Carl! I'm so bored of them whenever they appear on screen as a family. I'm all for the Mick/Shirley thing being resolved and moved forward, but DTC never ends any of his stories, so I don't hold out much hope. Someone needs to remind him that the third act exists for a reason, and it needs to be in play for most of the stories right now. I don't like Tina unless she's supporting someone in the café, so pretty much none of her stories and interactions interest me. I'm glad the Carters have been off screen, too. The break was needed; shame they have to come back. One of the reasons why I dislike the Ronnie/Roxy stuff so much is b/c I'm fast losing interest in Ronnie and Roxy, and if I stop caring completely, there'll be nothing left. At least with the Masoods, I care about most of them, if not all, so they're a bright spot in the show for me.

What's with EE losing all the decent characters/actors? I feel like all of the interesting aspects of the show are slowly being erased. It's such a mess right now, devoid of creativity - all you have to do is look at how identikit every storyline is structured these days. So, they got rid of Aleks, Lola, Cindy, and ruined Charlie, but continue with the dead wood. OK, then. I saw Fatboy randomly pop up the other day, seemingly real close to Roxy and Amy (since when). Why is he still on the show when he doesn't do anything? Donna is the same pointless character. Ronnie is so random these days, with her regressed nature and totally ignoring her own baby crying who she never spends any time with. Now she thinks Charlie is so boring and dull all of a sudden. He is, but she never used to think that. It feels like they don't know what to do with Ronnie, so every few months they try on a different hat: evil bitch for 3 months; victim for another two; obsessive and controlling is the hat she's wearing now.

Loved the Eric/Ghost Val scenes. I also liked that they were left ambiguous so viewers could decide for themselves if it was indeed Val's ghost or just Eric imagination. I did think it took guts for Chrissie to confess like that, as I guess the guilt was too much to handle. However, it was all on her and not Robert. It was her reckless actions that caused two deaths; I guess it makes her feel better to also blame Robert, too. The acting has been awesome from everyone, especially the actors who play Eric, Diane, David, Dan, Kerry, Pete and Finn (who looked kinda hot today with the stubble). The only thing I haven't liked is this ridiculous Bob story and the evil journo (such a soap cliché where every journalist has to screw you over at any opportunity). I know where this is going, and I don't really have much interest in it. I'll be surprised if it has any real lasting impact like the 90s plane crash did. I'll be even more surprised if it gets mentioned by the end of the year, considering it was an ITV last minute decision, never originally planned kinda thing.

AQ is a decent actor when given the material, but none of that makes Pete an interesting character. Even now, I know I'm going to have issues with this story b/c of what he's done to awesome Ross. Maybe this will finally flesh out the Whites and make them more than plot devices. When Chrissie broke down and 'fessed up, I felt like this story could be the making of her. For the first time she felt less of a plot device and more of a proper character. I hope that lasts. NBA: Loving the banner!

I can't believe they killed Ross! And all so they can attempt to make Pete interesting. I'm so sad right now. I hope it was Michael Parr's decision to leave. The way Pete hid the body, there's room for Ross not to really be dead, so he could come back in the future maybe... Also, making Ross Moses' father is really pointless, now. Val got a brilliant exit. I loved those scenes with Val and Diane - they were brilliantly written. The mirror maze exploding with glass was so dramatic. Poor Finn. James and Emma continue to demonstrate how insensitive they are. The Adam/Vanessa scene was surprisingly good. Meanwhile, Debbie continues to fight another day. Damn shame.

I think that's where the British sense of humour gets lost in translation. It's not a sneerfest, just sarcasm/deadpan that is clearly not great in print. If we're talking about the same article, then it was just saying that original stunts are impossible to come about, as one soap or another has already done it. It wasn't saying anything soap fans don't already know. I took that to mean all of the Spencers will be leaving. I feel that's less b/c they've run their course, and more b/c they've never been popular and never will be. I do think this whole story with Ali visiting Sean in the burns unit was done to form part of Ali's eventual exit, and Ruby's death will probably be the catalyst for it. Firstly, it's so rare to see a soap producer do the media circuit like Kate Oates is doing, which I like; more producers should be more TV interviews, as you get a different set of questions thrown at them than actors do. Secondly, I think she was very diplomatic with her answers, but still managed to hint at ITV's influence. I guess the stunt was never planned for the summer after all (if it was ever planned - it does feel like a network kinda idea). It's difficult to say which stories were fast-forwarded, but I guess the Aaron/Robert/Chrissie story is an obvious choice, as it did descend into plot-driven territory quite randomly. Shame they didn't think it was best to FF through the Jai/Rachel saga a month instead. It certainly feels like ITV are wanting to push Corrie in time for ITV's anniversary... maybe they didn't want ED to show it up? Last night's episode was awesome. The pacing was really good. I loved the amount of time they spent lingering on Ruby, as they made me care about her character, and I hadn't cared for her in all of the 4 years she's been with the show. I loved the character development for Kerry, who really stepped up. Loved all the misdirection with who may die: Joanie looked dead, but then she was fine; Diane has that head injury, and Val keeps saying she doesn't look good; Debbie is unconscious - is she dead? I actually think Debbie could be a possible causality, just b/c she's could be seen as a "beloved character", and Charlie Webb is pregnant... Right now, it actually could be anyone (within reason), and that's quite a rare moment in soap for it to be that unpredictable. I wonder if we'll get a death of a character who previously walked away unscathed only to drop down dead later?

Overall, I've enjoyed this weeks episodes so far. But, there are elements that are a bit contrived. Like, the Robert/Chrissie car fire stuff was quite forced; to get them to that point, they had to have the pointless Lachlan stunt that was done and dusted in a day. And no matter what they do to Chrissie, I still don't care about her. Meanwhile, Diane/Val rehash the same conversation again, but in a mirror maze. The amount of money they spent on creating the fun fair set, and you would have thought they would have used the set more before the stunt, just to get their monies worth. The mirror maze could have been used as a classic plot device for more than just Val/Diane. The Marlon/Rhona scenes were great, and I loved all of Finn's scenes. I really hope they don't kill him off, as I think he could easily fit their definition of loveable character. I'm surprised that I'm so invested in Pete finding out the truth and what he'll do afterwards. I guess they've built up the suspense good. The stunt wasn't as good as I thought it would be; the crash was a bit rushed. I think the aftermath will be better.

I think Steph will need to be more like her old self (prior to 2013) in order to have longevity again. I can see her taking over the garage again, and going back to being a mechanic, something that always suited the character. I'm wondering if Lucas and Vanessa will be returning for another guest stint around this time? They did say some of the 30th anniversary returnees would be making more appearances, and they couldn't have just been referring to Hilary. It could fit with the quote about some people being against Steph.

I'm so happy about Steph returning permanently. I think they'll write her in-character this time, and do her mental health issue a much better service than in 2013. This is the right time to bring back a popular character, especially one with so many ties to RS.

I'd totally forgotten about Kim having a son. So many legacy kids could be brought back at some point to reintroduce the Tate name. I feel this part of the show's history has been forgotten for too long, but, that may have something to do with the kids being too young to drive story. If this was a US soap, they'd SORAS the lot of them. LOL. How old would James be now? I can't really remember Tara's return at all. That's terrible for me. I remember Len dying, as Catherine Jenkins was guest starring at the time. I guess it was a period of the show where I was a bit of a casual viewer. It's good that Tara was in their consciousness at the time, but like you, I doubt they'd ever bring her back again. I love Home Farm, which is as much apart of ED as anything else (minus the sweet factory). Just b/c they can't create decent characters to fill the place, doesn't mean the set is at fault. The Whites are an improvement on the Maceys, but that's not saying much really. They should have worked, but they've not put any effort in to creating characters, just plot devices. I guess Lachlan has the most potential and the most personality.

When Marsden turned up on Phil's doorstep, I knew she was there for Ben. That seemed obvious to me. I've found the last couple of episodes to be quite boring. This whole Lucy story is dull. They really drag out the simplest of things. Ben & Paul doing it in the funeral parlour with a corpse in the room was creepy. Apparently it was supposed to be funny - I guess I misplaced my sense of humour for 30 minutes. Speaking of Paul: he's such a 90s reject, with his cut-off sleeveless lumberjack shirt and Alice band (who dresses like this now?). I thought he was going to be a more likeable character, but they seem to have mixed up cheeky with obnoxious.

Oh, I know. I was just pointing out the irony of someone calling out another for not being nice, when they themselves are not a great beacon of humanity, either. I hope they don't recast. Sinead is awful, and should be consigned to history never to be seen again. Theresa won't be missed, either. She should never have been brought back. But, I do appreciate the effort to humanise the character after the train crash, making her more likeable. At least she's been more tolerable.

The main rumour doing the rounds is that she allegedly turned up drunk, and has been late in the past. The tabloids are putting together a case. According to IAreSam, it's apparently bitchy BTS, with drug use apparent with some of the cast. And, James Sutton's tweet shows that she wasn't liked by everyone. But, he's not that nice of a person either, judging by some of his tweets, so... This reminds me of the time Home and Away was mired in a similar scandal back in 2009 when Jodi Gordon left the show.

Thanks Swede. So, it's always possible they Lady Tara could return. But, I very much doubt it would ever happen. While you're correct about Zoe, I think they could easily find a reason for Zoe to return. Her motivation doesn't have to be to live there again, but maybe something to do with one of her kids, or she finds herself in trouble and so returns to the only place she knows she can find help. Anything is possible.

I actually think Nate/Tyler have more chemistry.

Carl: You're right about Rodney. I don't think he's needed any more. I think there's enough characters in his age range (which is a rare thing to say), and Bernice has Diane and Nicola to bounce off of... but, I do like his scenes with Nicola, and that's probably the only relationship where he still has some purpose. I feel they should ditch him, and bring him back for guest stints (or when needed). I think the Jimmy/Tracy kiss was done for some cheap, predictable 3 episodes of drama when Nicola returns. I don't think Tracy will die in the summer stunt. But, surprisingly for a soap, this stunt has quite a few plausible death victims: Alicia, Val, Jai, Rachel, Megan, Leyla, Lisa, Joanie, Tracy, Robert... so it's quite hard to call. I do think they've brought Joanie back for more than a sub-plot involving Cain/Kerry and the kid, and that may involve her death, or it may involve her getting it on with Zak. Placing her in the Dingle home feels like a deliberate move. Just like how turning Jai evil has been a deliberate move (as stated by Chris Bissom). Ross' vulnerability only seems to show when he's with kids. And, that's not enough. Soaps don't do romance any more, just lust presented as love, so I know what they expect us to feel when he's with Debbie, but none of that flies with me. It all feels forced. I think he suits Carly way better than Debbie. Incidentally, I don't hate Pete as much as I did. Can someone remind me of how Lady Tara left? I loved Tara, as much as I loved Kim and Zoe. I wish they would bring Zoe back with her her kids, and build up the Tate name, again. I think slim-lining the episode order from 6 to 5 a week, would be good for the show. I hate how the Thursday double has become the dumping ground for contrived drama and shock cliffhangers. I could maybe understand it more if Thursday was the highest rating of the week, but it isn't.

So, Hulu is UK pace - 2 weeks behind Oz pace. I wonder if that's the same for Home & Away? LOL. I'm just imagining Tyler setting up his own dating service and, matching people up based on singular attributes, like blonde hair, or b/c they're the only two people he knows who like the colour magenta. And, he'll be right, of course!

Carl, I have to ask: how did you get your hands on something as random as Points of View? It kinda amazes me that an American even knows this show exists.